Environmental Law Clinic Fellowship

CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW invites applications for a full-time, one-year fellowship position within its Environmental Law Clinic beginning Summer of 2024. Renewal for a second year is possible depending on funding and performance. Applicants should be practitioners and/or recent law school graduates with some litigation experience and have an interest in developing an expertise in environmental and energy justice issues.

About the Environmental Law Clinic:

Case Western Reserve University School of Law has a dynamic and nationally recognized Experiential Education curriculum. The highly regarded Milton and Charlotte Kramer Law Clinic forms part of this curriculum. The Environmental Law Clinic, open to third-year law students, covers a range of environmental matters, including climate and air pollution, energy and utility issues, land use/brownfield issues, environmental health, and more, focusing predominantly on the needs of the northeast Ohio community. The Clinic complements the Coleman P. Burke Center for Environmental Law's expanding environmental classroom offerings, giving third-year students practical, hands-on experience in public interest environmental law matters. Clinic Interns learn substantive areas of environmental law through class sessions and, most importantly, by working directly on matters with clients, providing insight and experience on how environmental legal matters play out in Ohio. The Clinic's goal, as the first and only environmental law clinic in Ohio, is to train a new generation of environmental and energy advocates, and serve as a resource for individuals, community groups, and nonprofits working to enforce environmental protections, provide remedies for communities damaged by industrial impacts and pollution, and ensure environmental and energy justice for communities across northeast Ohio.

Fellowship Description and Responsibilities:

The Environmental Law Clinic Fellowship is focused on giving an attorney early in their career the ability to learn and practice in an interdisciplinary environment, and expand the scope and breadth of the Clinic's work and commitment to the community. The Fellow will work with the Clinic Director on all aspects of the program, with a significant portion of their time focused on community engagement on environmental legal needs. Key responsibilities include:

• Assist the Environmental Law Clinic Director in providing direct legal services and representation to qualified individuals and groups in civil and administrative environmental proceedings, as well as research, analysis, and advising clients on various areas including but not limited to: brownfield remediation, energy justice and affordability issues, clean energy access issues, equitable access to community greenspace, and air quality and pollution issues.
• Deepening relationships between the Clinic and the community. The Fellow will assist in setting up and working with a Community Advisory Committee composed of community experts-in-residence to discuss the ongoing environmental needs of the community and how the Clinic can continue to assist and serve those needs, focusing particularly on air quality issues impacting residents of Northeast Ohio.

• Provide training, supervision, and support for law students enrolled in the Environmental Law Clinic.
• Non-litigation responsibilities may include advocacy, public speaking, media appearances, and administrative clinic support such as case intake, planning and managing events, and meeting with funders and other stakeholders.

Qualifications:

Mandatory qualifications:

• A JD degree from an approved, ABA accredited law school, with a record of strong academic achievement.
• Must be licensed in Ohio or eligible to waive into the jurisdiction.
• Strong research and writing skills, effective interpersonal skills, and a demonstrated interest and intention of practicing in the field of public interest environmental law.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise independent judgment about priority issues; interpersonal skills to help the Clinic maintain and grow relationships with community partners; manage representation of multiple clients; provide meaningful instruction and advice to students; and complete assignments and legal work with minimal supervision.

Preferences:

• 1-3 years of legal practice experience.
• Experience working in legal settings and with individuals, community groups, and organizations.
• Experience in environmental advocacy and litigation.

Applicants should send a letter of interest, resume, list of references, and complete law school transcript to the attention of Sarah M. Polly at lawclinic@case.edu.

This posting will remain open until filled.

In employment, as in education, Case Western Reserve University is committed to Equal Opportunity and Diversity. Women, veterans, members of underrepresented minority groups, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Case Western Reserve University provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the Office of Inclusion, Diversity and Equal Opportunity at 216-368-8877 to request a reasonable accommodation. Determinations as to granting reasonable accommodations for any applicant will be made on a case-by-case basis. Further information about the law school is available at.